TED Books

"Reading is not just a vehicle for conveying useful knowledge and a mind-altering thought-tool. Another important function of language and writing is coordinating social activity, whether that's the Code of Hammurabi or the U.S. Constitution. We expect reading to amplify cooperation, which in turn catalyzes new institutions and forms of sociality. Some anthropologists identify cooperation as the most powerful social meta-tool that humans have invented so far. British scientist Matt Ridley put it this way: When we moved away from self-sufficiency and began to work together, combining our knowledge, the consequence was far-reaching: We created things we could not and do not understand, from cordless mice to urban metropolises. Cooperation turned us into specialists: I'll do this job, you do that one. Specialization gave us incentives to innovate. Innovation led to yet more specialization and more ways of combining different specialized skills. Human intelligence became collective and cumulative to an extent that no other species can rival.24"

Check out this great ebook from TED Books. You can find this title, and the entire TED Books lineup, at ted.com/tedbooks.